Wrench



April 7, 1925. 1,532,439

' I L. J. BLACK WRENCH Filed 'Noif. 5, 1923 gwuenloz U ,LJnLmx 1,532,469 rrice.

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Application filed l foveinber To aZZ whom it may COIL/162V?! Be it known that Lnn J. Enron, a citizen of the Jnited States, residing at Beaumont, in the county of Jeli'erson and State of Texas, has invented cs: tain new and useful improvement in {\"renc-hes,

of which the 11 Q- at )a1.b 1O owing 1s a speciucaaoa, iercrcnce e mg had therein to the accompanying drawmg. I

This inventionrelates to an improved wrench or tong of the type used in association with oil well drilling rotaries, and

An equally important,feature and advantage of the new struc ure is an additional means provided for obta ning additional radial contraction of the jaw-links of the work gripping device after the jaws have been set, whereby to insure a more eilective grip on the pipe.

' More specifically speaking, the invention relies partially for its novelty on the production of a comparatively simple and inexpensive structure which is practical and superior to known wrench structures of this type now patented or marked duemore particularly to the new method and its accompanying novel structure tor etlecting the additional movement of the jaws after the initial grip is had.

Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application and in which like numerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same Figure 1 is a top plan'view, with portions broken away and shown in section, of a wrench constructed in accordance with my invention, and

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation thereof.

Briefly described, the improved wrench comprises a handle, of any appropriate design, at the outer end of which is a flexible pipe gripping device. The latter includes as before intimated, pivotally connected links carrying jawdaces, on additional link one end of a connecting link or member 5 less. Seria11qo.672,958.

' or connecting 'member for connecting them to the handle and a "quick-releasable latch for retaining the links set. Also, as before intimated, novel means is provided between one of the links and the handle for effecting additional radial adjustment or movement of the jaws after they have been placed about the work, whereby to obtain a more e'llective grip thancould otherwise be had.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be observed that the handle, which-is a conventional onepis designated by the numeral 1 and the work gripp ng device is denoted generally by character 2. This device preferably comprises a pair of substantially semi-circular links or castings 3 and i, pivoted together at'5. The inner end of the first named link is bifurcated as at 6 and is disposed between and pivotally connected to the free ends of the t'urcations as at 8,

the other end of this member 7 being forked and pivoted to the handle inward of the extremity thereof.

In order that links 3 and 4: may serve as jaws they are equipped on their inner curved edges with detachable toothed jawtaces 9 held in place in any suitable manner. Here, I might say that while I show -de tacha-ble jaw-faces, 1' do not wish to be limited to such structure, for the teeth could well be made integral with the links it desired.

It should be observed that the free end of the link 4 carries an extension .or nose 10 and a pivoted latch 11 is engagedthere with to hold the jaws in a set position. Such a structure makes for ready application and removal of the wrench. If desired a handle 12 may be formed on this jaw i for convenience of operation.

By connecting the jaws with the handle through the medium of the part 7, additional radial contraction of the jaws may be had even after they have been engaged with the pipe, this being due to the inward movement of the aw 3 toward the handle. In order to insure effective gripping of the pipe by such contraction, novel means is interposed between the jaw or link 3 and the outer end of the handle. While this means could be constructed otherwise, I accomplish the end sought by providing the outer end of the handle with a laterally directed longitudinally curved extension 13, the

curved edge 14: of which functions as a cam. For co-action with the latter I provide a sliding abutment, preferably in the form of a vertical pin 15 which extends through the intermediate portions of the aforesaid furcations. As the extension is located between the furcations and its cam edge engaged by said abutment forming pin, it is,

evident that movement of the handle in a direction fromri'ght to left (in the drawing) will cause the pin to laterally ride in- V wardly along the cam-edge and effect additional radial contraction of the jaws to insure a more powerful grip than can ordinarily be obtained. It is evident that the sliding of the abutment forming pin is caused by the pull exerted thereon thru the nedium of the aforesaid connector link 7 I also wish to again call attention to the fact that this extension has the additional function of maintaining the jaws in a plane with the handle at all times. This is indeed an important feature in a flexible grip device of the kind shown. It also at all times maintains the jaws in a position to accomplish quick application of the too]. Then again, by extending the fureations beyond the extension 13 and connecting the link 7 with the extremities thereof, it will be impossible for the jaw 3 to become disconnected from the extension unless the pivot S is removed. Hence, the tong is ever-set for quick and convenient manipulation.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of the invention, I wish it to be'understood that minor changes coming within the scope of the adjoined claims may be resorted to if desired.

What I claim is:

1. A wrench of the class described comprising a handle provided at its outer end with a laterally directed longitudinally curved extension, the uter curved edge of which functions as a cam surface, a Work gripping device embodying a plurality of pivotally connected links, one of said links being bifurcated and the furcations straddling the curved extension with their free ends projecting beyond the cam surface, an abutment forming pin passing thru the projectingportions of the furcatio-ns and slidably contacting said cam surface, means pivotally connecting the free ends of the furcations with the handle inward of the extension, said means exerting a pull upon the furcations when the handle is swung in a predetermined direction and serving to slide the pin on the cam surface, the free end portion of the remaining link being extended into parallelism with the handle, and a pivoted latch on the latterengaged with said free end portion.

2. A wrench. of the class described comprising a handle provided at its outer end with a laterally directed longitudinally curved extension disposed on one side of the longitudinal center of the handle, one curved edge of said extension forming a cam surface, a flexible work gripping device embodying pivotally connected links, one of said links being bifurcated at its inner end and said extension projecting between the fll'SLli'lOl'lS thereof, a single abutment forming pin carried by and extending thru the furcations and slidably contacting said cam surface, and a connecting memberinterposed between the free ends of the it'urcations and the handle, said member having pivotal connection with the free ends of the furcations at a point beyond said pin and with the handle inward of the point of connection of the extension, whereby to cause said pin to slide upon said cam surface when the handle is moved in a predetermined direction.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

LEE J. BLACK.

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